Organic Bakery Combines Trendy, Traditional Treats

Behind the glass at Buttercelli Bakeshop, folded cards with labels handwritten in chalk tell customers what they're looking at: vanilla cupcakes, brown sugar Pop-Tarts and raspberry jam tarts. The display isn't much different from any other pastry store,but one thing makes Buttercelli stand out: everything for sale is organic.

Co-owner Quinn Pennington knew that organic eateries had become popular in the last few years, but she didn't take that direction because of the trend. Having a degree in biochemistry, Pennington said, she was aware of what processed foods do to the body.

"It's not really that your body can't process sugar, but those artificial sugars and things that go along with processed goods are more damaging than just organic sugar," she explained.

The idea for the bakery, which opened in May on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, started with a conversation between Quinn Pennington and her sister-in-law, co-owner Shelly Pennington.

"We were chatting about my parents," Quinn recalled. "They live in Alaska. We thought it would be fun if we had a family business they would be involved in. I said, 'I've always wanted to open a bakery. My mom's such a great baker. I always tell her that her stuff should be in a bakery.' Shelly's like, 'Oh, my gosh. That's a great idea.' "

Buttercelli was born.

Quinn collaborated with her mother to put the menu together. Many of the sweets are old family recipes. The raspberry jam tart, for example, was passed down from Quinn's great-grandmother. Gluten-free desserts are also available.

"The best part is seeing how much people enjoy organic baked goods—something they feel good about having," Quinn said. "The response from people, especially people who live in Sherman Oaks, has been wonderful. They love that there's a bakery down the street now."

The biggest hurdle was finding a location. Quinn said she is happy with the spot on Ventura Boulevard, which she called "one of the coolest streets in L.A." The foot traffic is heavy, and the neighborhood is affluent.

"I don't think people realize how valuable it is to have small businesses that are still surviving, and in some cases, thriving," she said.

In addition to sisters-in-law, the bakeshop has seven employees on the payroll, including Matt Townsend, a recent transplant from Phoenix.

"It's really good," Townsend said of the job. "[The Penningtons] are really friendly people. It's great to work for them." He said his favorite item on the menu was the apple cupcake.

But the question looms large: Does organic mean healthy, even when it comes to cakes and pastries?

Quinn and Shelly aren't trying to fool anyone. The treats behind the glass won't help anyone lose weight. But real sugar is better than corn syrup and artificial flavors, they believe. And customers can be sure they aren't putting any unpronouncable ingredients into their systems.

"Everything is certified organic," Quinn said. "I feel like we're bringing a better product to people."

Buttercelli Bakeshop, 13722 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; 818-387-8538. See buttercellibakeshop.com for a full menu and business hours.